Former Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Black Stars forward Abukari Gariba alias ‘Goal na Mafife’ is now a beggar on the streets of Tamale and Kumasi.
Gariba who was once a deadly attacker for Black Stars and the Porcupine Warriors now begs on streets to survive after being neglected by the Ghanaian football fraternity.
According to narrators of the Ghanaian football, Gariba scored over 300 goals for Ghana and Asante Kotoko in fourteen years but all not documented.
Speaking to Atinka FM’s Sadick Adams, Gariba highlighted on his days as a footballer and the sacrifices he made for both the Black Stars and Asante Kotoko and currently feel sad for being neglected.
” I was the fastest striker in the country during my days as a footballer because I possessed enough quality and brilliancy then. I helped Ghana and Kotoko to win laurels but am now neglected upon the sacrifices I made for them.
He joined the Porcupine Warriors in 1964 and was the overall top scorer in the 1971 African Cup which he helped Kotoko to clinched the accolade and led Ghana to the 1972 Olympic games in Munich
After retiring from the football business, the once upon a time, Ghana’s finest attacker and a legend is currently living in silence , begs on the streets of Kumasi and Tamale to survive.
Source: Saddick Adams Obama
